The new white paper explores remanufacturing, and how industries can move from a linear to a circular economy model.
Electronics remanufacturer Slaters and Electricals collaborated with the Centre for Remanufacturing and Reuse on the document, which looks in depth at how to create new vocabulary to help the transition from a linear model to a circular one. Meanwhile, Slaters has developed a range of business models to meet customer needs, many of which utilise remanufacturing. The whitepaper “explores situations in which each business model might be appropriate, the pros and cons of each approach for Slaters, its customers and the wider environment, and a description of the processing and procurement processes involved”.
The Centre for Remanufacturing and Reuse says that “circular economy activities apply to the whole of the supply chain, from product design through to activities at the end of a product’s life”. It claims that “maximum value” is derived from a product in a circular system by retaining “as much of the embedded material, labour, energy and capital as possible both throughout the supply chain and at the end of each service life”.
Applying the principles of the circular economy “throughout the supply chain” and “prioritising strategies higher up the waste hierarchy” are ways that “circular thinking is becoming more joined up”, the Centre claims. The document also looks into how it “makes sense” for power distribution equipment such as “transformers and switchgear”.